Lock and escutcheon.



1 No. 723,828. PATENTED MAR. 31,-1903.. W. GHALMERS- LOCK AND BSGUTGHBON- APPLIUAYI'IOH FILED DEC. 17. 190]. 10 MODEL. 7

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WITNESSES; n I NVENTOR ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

V WILLIAll/I GHALMERS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

LOCK AND ESUCUTCHEON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 723,828, dated March 31, 1903. Application filed December 17,1901. Serial No. 86,191. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: 2

Be it known that I, WILLIAM CHALMERa'a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locks and-Escutcheons Therefor, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to improvements in looks and escutcheons, the object of my invention being to provide means for facilirating the insertion of keys in the keyholes thereof.

Delay and difficulty are often experienced in inserting a key into the escutcheon of-a door or into the keyhole of a trunk-lock, padlock, or other look. This delay arises from the difficulty of immediately securing the'exact alinement of the pin ofthe key with the keyhole.

The object of my invention is to remove this diffioulty. I obtainthis object by the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully specified, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is 1 a front elevation of an escutcheon embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear view. Fig. 3 is a section on the line B B of Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. l of the drawings, 1 represents an escutcheon, 2 being the hole for the door-handle and 3 the keyhole. In this form of escutcheon the keyhole is located below the handle, and in this position to insert the key in said keyhole necessitates either stooping down to aline the key with the keyhole by the sense of vision or the use of the left hand to guide the key into the keyhole by the sense of touch, or, as a third alternative, it necessitates some delay in moving the places the pin of the key against the escutcheon at any point thereof below the keyhole and then moves the key upward the pin of "the key will strike the sloping under side 6 of the guide and will be'guided upward into the curved apex 5 thereof, when it will aline with the corresponding portion of the keyhole. Thus the key can be inserted in the keyhole instantaneously and with substantially no at-v andforming the keyhole 3 in said depressed portion. In this manner the walls 6 are continuous with the plate and also with the bot tom, thereby forming a very strong structure, while by having the bottom flush or even with the inner edges of the fiangesof the plate the bottom'will rest against the side of the door and be strengthened thereby, as it will bear any strain or pressure that may be placed upon it. By stamping the guide in the plate when it is being otherwise fashioned the formation of the guide will add nothing to the cost.

I claim An escutcheon-plate having formed therein a hole for the door-handle and a portion depressed orstamped therein and a keyhole in said depressed portion, the periphery of said depressed portion being a closed curve and forming a guiding-shoulder leading upwardly, the lower portion of said shoulder being remote from the keyhole while the upper end of said shoulder is carried closely around the part of the keyhole which receives the pin, to guide the pin of the key thereto, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing wit nesses. p p

. WILLIAM OHALMERS.

Witnesses:

FRANCIS M. WRIGHT, CECELIA POWNING. 

